Capital Metro just released a new video called Screen ATX. It’s kind of artsy, in that it begins with a screen printing story line before it ever mentions transportation. Check it out for yourself here.

This got us thinking, what are some of the best transit related video’s we’ve seen? Here are some of our favorite videos that show off how cool transit really is:

2. It’s natural to feel a little awkward the first time you put your bike on the bus, but this video recognizes that, and rebrands the trending multimodal experience with a fun and empowering twist with this fun and quirky video.

Hopefully you already know Bike Share is coming to Austin, but what does that mean? How will a bike share system affect mobility on a daily basis for those of us that work and play downtown? And is there anything to be learned from the almost viral success of other bike share systems across the country?

By creating another layer of connections in our transportation network, Bike Share will have a tremendously positive impact on the way people move around in the downtown area. For example, a commuter who takes the Redline into work and needs to get to the Market District could take a bike rather than walk, saving quite a bit of time. The bikes will be perfect for shorter trips (1-3 miles). For those who work downtown, that greatly increases the number of lunch spots and other amenities like dry cleaners, to which we often run midday errands. No longer will one need a car for these short trips around downtown.

Currently, there are more than 15 bike share programs across the U.S. with more than 550,000 members in cities as far flung as Miami and as close by as San Antonio. What can we learn from their experiences? Recently, a report took a closer look at what makes a bike share program successful and recommends certain issues that any new Bike Share program should consider. Here are a few that Movability thinks are especially important.

Set clear goals for success. What do we, as a community, want from the bike share program? Residents of Austin recently outlined various goals in the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan. Our bike share program should seek to aid in the implementation of the ideas in Imagine Austin. Bike Share can be used to accomplish many goals, even those outside the realm of transportation. Bike Share can help us link people to jobs, increase physical activity of residents, increase air quality by decreasing the number of miles traveled in a vehicle each day and by helping to create more people friendly places.

The more the public views the bike share program as theirs and as a community asset, the more likely it is to be successful. The entity in charge of bike share for Austin, should engage with the public early in the process and continue that dialogue throughout each phase of development.

Bike Share should be closely integrated with other transportation options currently available such as Zipcar, car2go, MetroBus, Rapid Bus and the Redline. This also includes connecting users through technology; such as mobile applications that display all options for any potential trip. The stronger we make these connections and the more choices that are available to commuters, the easier it is to leave the car at home.

A Bike Share program will be a welcome addition to the Austin transportation network and we are excited to see it happen!

ParkMe, the new mobile app that updates you with downtown parking info [highlighted in LGN 3], recently featured an interview on their blog with Movability’s Glenn Gadbois where they discussed Movability’s efforts to impact Austin’s mobility. Here it is!

According to Forbes, Texas’ capital city is the fastest growing metropolis in the United States. The place has become a major cultural destination, particularly with its annual juggernaut of a festival. With that growth comes added transportation needs to satiate the increases in population and tourism.

One local organization is doing its part by helping commuters better understand their transit options. Movability Austin is fueling growth and driving more people downtown by engaging the community’s needs and working closely with the city. Of course, “intelligent parking” is one area that Austin is excelling in.

Movability’s own Glenn Gadbois of was kind enough sit down with ParkMe to chat about his initiatives and his city. Here’s what he had to say.

What exactly does Movability Austin do, and how did you become involved?

Movability helps people understand the many choices for how they travel to, from and around downtown Austin. Our largest effort is working with employers and their employees to understand their challenges and their interests. Then we are basically a concierge helping them find and use options whether it is biking for exercise and health, transit for the safety and convenience of having someone else drive, or the social benefits of carpooling.

Helping someone avoid being stuck in traffic is also relieving a little bit of demand on the clogged roadway and, during rush hour, all the roads into downtown Austin are clogged. If we did nothing to address our traffic issues, Austin could not get more employees, customers or visitors downtown without turning rush hour into rush hours. I began working with the Downtown Austin Alliance and others to see if demand management could help. Things grew rather organically from that beginning.

Since you joined the organization, how have you seen the transit habits of Austinites change?

A majority of Austinites want relief from the traffic, high costs, and parking headaches of always having to drive. Especially, when something spikes like gas prices, you see significant shifts to transit, bicycling, etc.

But for most people figuring out what their options are and how to use them is still a daunting task. We also have a lot of new infrastructure to build if our roadways-as well as places to live, work or play-are to become as inviting for people as they are for cars.

The good news is use of transit, carpooling, and bicycling are all on the rise, even when compared to driving alone (which has declined slightly in the last few years). There is even more good news in that the Millenials, largest generational bubble since Boomers, are driving most of the growth in use of transportation options.

Most of our marketing currently is “Individualized Marketing” and social media related. We have just begun to talk with potential partners in the public sector about larger scale (potentially including paid) marketing on safety and healthy communities. Co-marketing efforts with members (service providers such as Capital Metro, Car2Go and ZipCar; events such as Art City Austin, SxSW, etc) are in the very early stages. In addition, we are working with community organizations (Austin Cycling Association, Alliance for Public Transportation, Austin Trail Foundation) to initiate some light social engagement campaigns.

How have the city of Austin / Travis County been helping your efforts to improve people’s daily commutes?

CoA and Travis County are two of our four principal partners and funders. As two of downtown’s largest employers, they are both very committed to helping their employees find and use options. In addition, both have made a serious commitment to the partnerships, the investments and the building required to have a transportation system, which truly gives people viable travel choices. They see this as essential to the health and sustainability for downtown, the entire city and the region.

How do you think new startups/technology are helping with the current state of transportation?

Austin has its fair share of tech companies and we benefit greatly from the energy, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit that comes with tech companies. This alone makes a substantial portion of the businesses and their employees more open to try new solutions, including how they get to work.

Some start-ups, like ParkMe, are also providing a needed piece of the solution. Currently, most transportation customers are treated like kids at the breakfast table where mom plops one box of cereal on the table and that is the breakfast option. Any other option requires more skill to find what’s available and know how to cook the eggs, cut up fruit, etc. Mobile apps are beginning to load the breakfast table will all kinds of delicious options from peer to peer ride sharing, advanced identification of parking, and much more.

Spotlight

Our latest Commute Hero is actually a group of heroes: the folks at Capital Metro who are helping to make this time of year merry and bright for Central Texans. From Stuff the Bus, which helps provide food for families in need, to their work to increase frequency on Austin’s most-traveled routes, the busy elves […]

Transportation Tools

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